news sources

news sources

Media Literacy Week and News Sources

Media Literacy Week and News Sources

, , , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
Media literacy is a vital skill, allowing people to analyze and understand how messages, particularly those designed to persuade (whether presented anywhere from television news programs to Facebook advertisements), are crafted and how they exert their influence.  A person who is able to recognize and mitigate the hidden influence of others is freer and more able to form reasoned opinions.  Media literacy also helps you responsibly frame your own messages, communicating in the clearest way possible and provoking thought without undue manipulation. Media Literacy Week is October 26-30, and is hosted by the National Association for Media Literacy Education.  Each day will focus on an aspect of media literacy: Access on Monday, Analyze on Tuesday, followed by Evaluate, Create, and … Continued
The Persistence of Memory

The Persistence of Memory

, , , , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
“Do you want to take a picture?” “Oh, I’m sure we’ll remember it.” Have you ever heard an exchange like that?  We have a tendency to take memory for granted; to assume that what we want of our past will be accessible later on.  That is true whether the memories are personal – the first words of a new baby, perhaps – or societal, such as memory of a major cultural shift or shared triumph or tragedy.  Memories (whether personal or recounted for us in books, museums, and memorials) preserve learning and heritage and culture.  Lives are defined by it.  Even blockbuster popular entertainment like the television show Game of Thrones have recently paused the action long enough to contemplate … Continued
Fake news fatigue? Never fear!

Fake news fatigue? Never fear!

, , Library Resources, Website
Since fake news came to wider prominence in 2016, many of us are increasingly skeptical of news accuracy and news quality.  While it makes sense to scrutinize various news sources, most Americans find mainstream media biased.   Only about 32% of Americans trust mainstream news, and this figure dropped eight percentage points from the previous year’s study (2015-2016.)  Unfortunately, some of that mistrust is earned.  Still, even in the era of faster news cycles, instantaneous information and “alternative” press, there are a few solutions. One is to become an advocate for truth, or as oceanographer and director of LUMCON Craig McClain puts it, a “Nerd of Trust.”  According to McClain, while up to 82% of scientists use Facebook regularly, very few … Continued